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Cerberus Daily News - May 2011
For canon information, see the Mass Effect Wiki page for Cerberus Daily News. This page is for CDN members' non-canon additions. The following stories contributed by Cerberus Daily News forum members were published on the CDN newsfeed during May 2011. See the main Cerberus Daily News page for current updates. May 2011 – Week One 05/01/11 - Assault destroys research facility Citadel Council representatives have confirmed that an infiltration group led by one of their operatives destroyed a small, independent research station in the Okara System today. Okara, which sits along the border with the Terminus Systems, is the subject of a territorial dispute between several Terminus powers and the Systems Alliance. A nearby merchant hauler, which was scheduled to make a delivery to the base, recorded its destruction early this morning. Council representatives would not discuss why the station was destroyed, or whether there was Spectre involvement with the assault force. However, one source within the Citadel defense establishment suggested that the base operators were linked to the recent kidnapping of Jerome Hennison, the Manswell colonist. Reporters could not find records on the base’s owners or operators, indicating it may have been operating off the books. Alliance Beacon 05/02/11 - Nos Astra’s Skyline Hotel to close The owners of Nos Astra’s Skyline Hotel announced today that the Skyline will be closing permanently next month. A beloved Illium destination since Nos Astra’s founding, the Skyline has hosted untold numbers of celebrities and dignitaries, and has become a recognizable symbol of the city. The Skyline is to be demolished, to make room for a newer, more modern hotel. In an e-mail, its owners expressed regret at the decision but stated, “The Skyline was no longer profitable. It was time to move on to something newer and better.” The hotel is scheduled to have an official “closing gala,” with some of Illium’s most notable residents expected to attend. 05/03/11 - Missing drell agent found, petitions Alliance for asylum Manaan Sricos, a top drell diplomatic security agent, resurfaced today in Milgrom on the Alliance colony of Bekenstein, after petitioning a court there for political asylum under Alliance law. Reporting missing last week from his duty station at the hanar embassy on the Citadel, Sricos and his lawyers released a statement after his court appearance claiming to have been physically and mentally abused during his service to the hanar, both by hanar as a child and by his drell superiors as an adult. According to court papers, Sricos is asking for asylum under the Alliance Immigration and Refugee Act, alleging that the compacts under which drell serve hanar is a form of slavery. In his statement, Sricos states that his parents put him under compact to drell in exchange for the hanar’s promise to treat his father’s Kepral’s syndrome, which he claims the hanar did not do. Sricos also alleges that compacted drell who are recaptured after escaping are tortured and subjected to mind-altering drugs and medical procedures, and that he would face the same fate if he were returned to hanar space. A hanar spokesman, speaking on condition of anonymity, called the allegations “baseless” but would not comment on specifics. 05/05/11 - New L6 biotic implants announced at CBTS This year’s Citadel Biotics Trade Show kicked off with the announcement of the next generation of biotic implants. The L6 Consortium, a joint venture between 15 human, asari, and hanar high-tech companies and research foundations, has been developing the new L6 implant for the past four years. Dr. Keiko Ozawa, Executive Vice President of the Grissom Academy Foundation and chair of the Consortium’s technology committee, told the assembled media: “With the L6 implants, we were not aiming for an evolution, but a revolution. We started our design work from scratch, based it upon cutting-edge science, and aimed for most efficient uses of biotic energy while minimizing health risks to the user. I’m proud to say, we succeeded.” Among the L6’s many innovations are the use of the body’s own nerves to fire nodules instead of implanted microfibers, a multicore VI processor that enables faster and less taxing power mnemonics, and its use of NeuroGel, a superconductive compound that channels the static generated by biotics away from a user’s brain and nerves towards the skin, reducing the risk of biotic neuro-encephalopathy caused by static buildup. Ars Biotica 05/06/11 - Batarian slaver killed in attempted raid Notorious batarian slaver Arok Geshal is dead after a slaving operation ended badly. Geshal attacked what seemed to be a civilian transport discharging its drive into the magnetic field of the gas giant Endir IX. However, when attempting to board the vessel, Geshal discovered the ship was actually carrying over 50 Blood Pack mercenaries. According to Vorek, the krogan commander of the mercenaries in question, “Geshal was expecting a soft target, but when his troops opened the door, they came face to face with a Blood Pack boom squad. I imagine they were rather surprised, assuming they had time to react before being blown to pieces.” An Alliance spokesperson confirmed that the Blood Pack had been awarded the 4 million credit bounty the Alliance had placed on Geshal’s head, which Vorek apparently delivered to Mindoir, the nearest human colony to Endir. 05/07/11 - Citadel official leaks information on Hennison Case An anonymous official within the Citadel defense establishment has talked to Alliance Beacon reporters about the events surrounding the disappearance and rescue of Jerome Hennison. According to the official, the mercenaries that kidnapped Mr. Hennison had been hired by an organization running the now destroyed science base in the Okara System. The organization, which the official did not name, wanted Hennison for a series of genetic tests and experiments. According to the Citadel official, Mr. Hennison exhibits several genetic traits that no longer occur naturally in humans, and was sought for experimentation for that reason. The ultimate purposes of those experiments, or the nature of the group that intended to conduct them, have not been revealed. Mr. Hennison, meanwhile, is still in protective custody and has been relocated to an undisclosed location. May 2011 – Week Two 05/08/11 - Designer to do human clothing line Fashion designer Eleanor Laroche has announced plans to fight what she describes as “excessive asari influence” in human fashion. Speaking from her home in Paris, she criticized human fashion designers for “using too many non-human elements” in their designs, and stated her concern that “human culture is becoming too diluted.” In response to those concerns, Laroche announced that her new line of dresses will be “100% human, using only ideas that have their origins or basis in human cultures.” Analysts are mixed on this move, with one saying, “Marketing this approach could appeal to a certain segment of humanity, but how well will this line do in the galactic market?” 05/09/11 - Alliance MP Matthew Auberger to quit Terra Firma Party The office of Alliance MP Matthew Auberger issued a statement today that the MP will be quitting the Terra Firma Party. Parliament insiders have stated that this was not an entirely voluntary move, and that Auberger was given a choice by Terra Firma leadership between resigning his party membership or being expelled. In the statement, Auberger, who has been facing criticism for a three year affair with an unnamed asari, expressed “regret for the problems I have caused for the party I have been affiliated with for my entire political career.” Auberger will continue to serve in Parliament as an Independent. However, he will no longer have access to Terra Firma caucus meetings or policy briefs, and it is expected that Terra Firma will run someone against him if he decides to run for re-election. In his statement, Auberger expressed a desire to “continue serving the people of Bekenstein, and the interests of humanity.” He has reportedly placed employment ads for staff members to fill positions that have been vacated by Terra Firma loyalists. Alliance Beacon 05/10/11 - First humans with L6 implants show their stuff Yesterday on Arcturus Station, the first three human L6 biotics demonstrated their powers in public for the first time. The new L6s, all volunteers from the Alliance Military, demonstrated the power, precision, and flexibility of their new implants. Operations Chief Emilio Santana, a Marine biotic from the 6th Infantry Division (Spaceborne), wowed the assembled media by creating a four-meter wide singularity in the air above them. Gunnery Chief Jake Wellstone, a Marine assault squad leader assigned to the 3rd Commando Regiment, followed with an impressive display of biotic stamina, biotically propelling himself 106 meters in under four seconds. The display was capped off by Navy Staff Lieutenant Petra Sarkisyan of the SSV Nelson Mandela, a combat search-and-rescue specialist who biotically held a 50-kilogram weight in the air with one hand while opening a series of electronic locks with the other. During the display, General Lee Hong Chee, the highest-ranking biotic in the Alliance Military, was overheard on an open microphone jokingly asking Matriarch Bel’Tsara, Chief Technologist of the Serrice Council and vice-chair of the L6 Consortium that developed the new implants, “Can I have one of those implants?” Ars Biotica 05/11/11 - King Tutankhamun exhibit to visit Serrice After a long negotiation process with the Confederacy of North Africa, the Galactic history museum of Serrice will be exhibiting the best example of the ancient Egyptian civilization of Earth. The exhibit will run for two (Earth Standard) months and will include the bust of Nefertiti, a replica of the burial chamber, and the burial mask of King Tut himself. Belana Torei, head of the museum, had this to say: “We are very honored to finally be allowed to showcase this wonderful example of human history in our home.” The opening ceremony will be attended by many VIPs including Matriarch Denlaya and CNA President Atef Sedki. This will be the first time the exhibit has ever left it’s home planet. 05/13/11 - Sequel to hit game The Hacker incites controversy Gaming giant Holographic Arts is under fire following the announcement of the sequel to last year’s “The Hacker”, which is set to include an adversarial multiplayer mode. The original game, in which players took the role of a former Special Tasks Group member caught up in the Geth War on Rannoch, attracted some minor controversy for its inaccurate historical depiction of the conflict; the sequel is being branded “monstrous” by entertainment journalists for allowing players to elect to take on the role of the geth forces, with the goal of destroying spaceports and murdering stranded quarian evacuees. Holographic Arts has issued a statement seeking to downplay the controversy, denying any intent to glamorize geth atrocities, and saying that the feature’s inclusion is simply a means of allowing players to compete with one another as a test of skill. Matriarch Kuroa, a noted advocate of quarian affairs, has slammed the announcement, calling the game a “genocide simulator”, and analysts are predicting HA sales in the Asari Republics will suffer dramatically. 05/14/11 - Outbreak on human colony The human colony of Messania has suffered a sudden outbreak of an unknown disease nearly overnight. Lines of patients go out the door of every hospital on the colony. The New Berlin City Hospital alone has counted over 130,000 patients requesting care in the past 48 hours, overwhelming their 100,000 patient capacity. Upon being interviewed by Thessia Galactic News reporters, hospital administrator Laura Nathis offered a statement: “We will do all that we can for our patients. However, the numbers of sick are overwhelming our limited resources, and with the disease as of yet unidentified, we cannot treat the source, only the symptoms. We are simply not equipped to deal with an outbreak of this magnitude.” The disease has thus far showed no signs of lethality, and has manifested symptoms similar to a severe case of influenza. The Alliance is sending supplies, doctors, and a small team of microbiologists to aid the stricken colony. May 2011 – Week Three 05/15/11 - Elkoss Combine brings trade dispute against L6 Consortium Yesterday, a group of companies led by the Irune-based Elkoss Combine filed for an interdiction order against the L6 Consortium with the Citadel Trade and Intellectual Property Organization. The filing, on behalf of Elkoss, as well as the Palaven-based Armax Arsenal and Aegohr-based Union Technologies Group, allege that the L6 Consortium was a conspiracy to corner the market for next-generation biotic implants. Elkoss was hoping to enter the implant market with this generation of implants; they claim they repeatedly asked to join the L6 Consortium and offered to assume nearly half of the projected cost of development while offering the Consortium several of its implant-related patents. After being rebuffed, Elkoss partnered with turian and salarian companies to develop a rival implant. Elkoss further claims the Consortium infringed on Elkoss’s implant patents revealed in negotiations with the Consortium, and used those patents to get its own implant to market first. Combine CEO Vonar Osk, in a written statement, said “Our company has been wronged. The humans and asari sought to cheat us out of our money and our property, and we trust that the Citadel’s courts will see through this deception and force open their closed market.” Elkoss’ proposed order would require the Consortium to surrender the L6 implant’s design schematics and pay Elkoss royalties for using its infringed patents. Elkoss stock jumped 11 credits per share on news of the dispute. L6 Consortium representatives could not be reached by press time. Ars Biotica 05/16/11 - Atlas Galactic resurrects classic reality show genre Atlas Galactic, the network famous for documentaries The Last Terran Frontier and Mass Relay: Gateway to the Stars, is reviving an old Earth reality entertainment classic: the wilderness survival genre. Galactic Survivor will star former N7 operative Nathan McLeod as he attempts to survive in some of the most rugged wildernesses in the galaxy. He will be equipped with only a camera probe, his clothes, and a basic survival kit. McLeod will be barred from contacting outside assistance, though an observing rescue team will intervene if it becomes clear he will be unable to survive on his own. In the premiere episode, Nathan will weather the deserts of Terra Nova after crashing in an escape pod. The series will air every Thursday night Standard. 05/17/11 - Pod crab festival to open on Virmire The 2186 Pod Crab Festival is set to open next week on Virmire. The festival, which draws attendance from throughout the galaxy, encourages participants to capture and cook their own pod crabs. Attendees can expect games, live entertainment, and a wide assortment of drinks. Organizers have not been able to hold the festival since 2180, due to the cost of providing security on Virmire. This year, however, Elanus Risk Control Services has agreed to provide discounted security services in return for advertising at the event. 05/18/11 - ABI Report: Auberger fathered child with asari mistress Details are sketchy, but in the wake of Alliance MP Matthew Auberger leaving the Terra Firma Party, it has been revealed he fathered a child with the asari whom he had an affair with for three years. This new information is the result of a leak from an investigation by the Alliance Bureau of Investigation. According to the leak, Auberger contacted the ABI after a former staff member, whom he fired last year, attempted to blackmail him with her knowledge of the relationship. Information from the leak indicates that Auberger’s first contact with the asari, who has now been identified as Yayla Dalinari, came when he was part of a Parliament delegation that visited the Citadel in 2183. Auberger met Dalinari when he visited a Wards strip bar named “Chora’s Den,” where she then worked as a dancer. The MP reportedly visited the Citadel several more times that year, before using his own money to relocate Dalinari to Arcturus station. Auberger’s office has not issued a statement on these new revelations, and he himself has not been available for comment. Alliance Beacon 05/19/11 - L6 Consortium: quality control issues, not conspiracy, kept Elkoss out The human/asari/hanar consortium responsible for the development of the L6 biotic implant responded today to volus, turian, and salarian allegations of unfair trade practices. Gunther Hauser, Board Chairman of Earth-based Biotik-Wissenschaften GmbH and the Consortium’s general counsel, told assembled reporters “We kept Elkoss Combine out for a very simple reason: they have no concept of ‘quality control.’ Elkoss has a long and sordid history of producing substandard medical equipment, resulting in thousands of injuries and even deaths. Implant technology is too dangerous to trust to a company with such disregard for safety. If the volus want to participate in the next generation of implants, they’ll have to do the work first, not just go crying to the law courts.” Responding to allegations that the L6 implant infringes on Elkoss patents, Consortium secretary Dr. Qualinor of the Enkindled Medical Sciences Foundation of Kahje said, “This one apologizes for its bluntness, but we found early on that the Elkoss had patented piles of solid waste. Their patented designs were inefficient and untested, and their only use in our design was as an example to our engineers of what not to do.” Ars Biotica 05/21/11 - Earth faulted for infrastructure problems A recent survey of galactic infrastructure has left Earth with a failing grade. According to the Galactic Infrastructure Group, a majority of Earth nations either lack basic infrastructure, such as air car lanes and mag-lev lines, or have infrastructure that is failing or poorly maintained. Among developed regions, the survey made a point of singling out the London and Chicago megatropolis areas for particularly poor maintenance and underinvestment. Said a member of the survey group, “I’ve never seen a Council homeworld with infrastructure like this. The Earth-clans have serious work to do.” May 2011 - Week Four 05/22/11 - Sandwich named after turian general Gonzo’s, a human run sandwich chain, has announced that it is naming a sandwich after General Partinax. The decision builds on Partinax’s popularity from the military campaign he led on Taetrus last year, as well his face to face duel with separatist leader Kihilix Tanus. Edwin Baker III, the CEO of Gonzo’s, said, “Partinax may not be human, but he’s bold. That’s exactly the kind of person Gonzo’s celebrates.” The “Partinax” will be available at Gonzo’s locations throughout the galaxy, and will also come in a version suitable for turian consumption. 05/24/11 - Biotics Union to promote bio-amp safety Is your bio-amp firmware up to date? The Biotics Union has begun a new ad campaign to promote bio-amp safety. The ads, which will run for the next month, will encourage biotics to make sure that they are using the newest version of their amp’s firmware. The ad campaign follows a recent incident on Mars, in which a biotic teen was injured after a classmate hacked her amp. According to a Biotics Union spokesperson, “Outdated firmware can leave bio-amps vulnerable to hacking. Many users disable the automatic updates, and we want to make sure they’re secure.” 05/25/11 - Illegal arms dealer in custody Dmitri Costas, suspected arms trafficker, was arrested earlier yesterday outside his villa in the European Union city of Marseilles. Citadel Trade Security, working closely with the Systems Alliance and local Earth governments, put Dmitri into custody on the charges of breaking twelve arms embargoes in the Terminus systems. Costas was a major supplier of military grade weapons to several Terminus despots and terrorist forces. “I’m certain that Mr. Costas will receive the justice that has so long eluded him,” said Patri Ardros, the agent in charge of the investigation, adding, “It’s people like him who keep that part of the galaxy so inhospitable.” 05/26/11 - L6 implant schematics stolen in four coordinated break-ins The biotics world is reeling from revelations that schematics for the new L6 biotic implant have been stolen in four separate and simultaneous thefts on three Alliance worlds. The L6 Consortium, a multi-species group of 15 companies which developed the next-generation implant, informed the Alliance Ministries of Justice and Defense about the thefts two days ago, after Consortium researchers found evidence of unauthorized downloads. Two of the break-ins took place on Earth, one at the headquarters of Biotik-Wissenschaften GmbH in Berlin, and one at the laboratories of the Sirta Foundation in Kolkata. The other two took place on Luna at the Aldrin Laboratories Development Station near Armstrong, and on Terra Nova at the Eos Institute for Biotics Research in Amundsen. According to the MoJ, all four break-ins took place within two hours, and all were physical, as the Consortium requires its member companies to keep the schematics on airwalled networks inaccessible through the extranet. The L6 Consortium is offering a substantial reward for any information leading to the arrest of the thieves. Anyone with information on this case is asked to contact the Alliance Ministry of Justice, extranet keyword: L6theft. Ars Biotica 05/27/11 - Actress curve glides to celebrate birthday Human actress/comedian Sophia Boxer celebrated her 100th birthday in an unusual way, today: By curve gliding on the Citadel. The actress, known for decades of award winning roles, “took off” and glided over the curve of Kithoi Ward, following a party attended by close friends and relatives. Boxer was met by C-Sec upon landing, and proceeded to spend the rest of her birthday in jail. In a statement, the actress told reporters, “It was worth it.” C-Sec seems to disagree, and reiterated the danger that curve gliding poses to public safety. 05/28/11 - Group petitions for Spectre records The Alliance Civil Liberties Coalition has filed a petition with the Citadel Council, asking for the release of information on all Spectre activities within Alliance space for the past two decades. The petition follows recent ACLC allegations that the Spectres have a history of abuse of power, torture, and the circumvention of normal judicial proceedings. ACLC head Wolfgang Hartmann said, “We need to shine a light on the Spectres’ shadowy operations.” The ACLC originally opposed Citadel membership for the Alliance, on the grounds that allowing Spectres to operate within the Alliance would violate cherished legal traditions. May 2011 – Week Five 05/29/11 - Survey crew discovers dead colony A Salarian Union survey crew exploring the uncharted Kal’Ala System has discovered a dead colony on the system’s fourth planet. Cursory examinations seem to indicate that the colony was formed by a previously unknown civilization, using technology roughly equivalent to Earth’s late 21st century. It is speculated that the colonists likely arrived using sub-light, “sleeper ship” technology. An archeological team consisting of experts from across Citadel space is being assembled for an expedition to examine the ruins. The colony appears to have mostly been developed underground, on a world lacking an atmosphere, and experts expect that many of the ruins will be well preserved. 05/30/11 - FCC News correspondent claims Spectre attack FCC News correspondent Niklaus Westergaard has been hospitalized due to injuries received while attempting to interview asari Spectre Mira D’Rana, who recently became known for her involvement in C-Sec affairs on the Citadel. Details of the altercation are unclear, but Westergaard claims that D’Rana became belligerent, pulled a pistol, and unloaded a round into his camera drone, shredding its outer casing. Shrapnel from the drone’s casing became embedded in the right side of Westergaard’s face, partially blinding him. Early evaluations predict he will regain his vision and will suffer no permanent scarring. 05/31/11 - L6 schematics found with Armax Executive; employee claims innocence The mystery behind the theft of the schematics for the L6 biotic implant deepened today. Police on Illium announced they have arrested Sectus Sempara, a senior executive of the Palaven-based Armax Arsenal, and charged him with receiving the stolen schematics. The schematics were discovered during a routine random inspection of Sempara’s palmtop terminal as he arrived on Illium after a flight from Palaven. He was detained as soon as police discovered the schematics, which were later found to contain L6 data reported stolen from all four of the break-in sites on Earth, Luna, and Terra Nova. Later investigation revealed that Sempara had booked passage from Illium to Omega, and had received multiple deposits to a volus bank account he opened under an assumed name. At a hearing in Nos Astra this afternoon, Sempara told the presiding judge he is innocent of the charges, but refused further comment as he was being led away. Sempara is currently being held in the Nos Astra Prison, pending extradition to Earth to face charges. Neither L6 Consortium representatives nor the Alliance Ministry of Justice would comment on these developments. Ars Biotica Category:Cerberus Daily News Articles